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Home » Creative Recipes » Main Dishes » Seafood » Blackened Bang Bang Shrimp

Blackened Bang Bang Shrimp sitting on bed of lettuce.

Blackened Bang Bang Shrimp

BY: Michele
PUBLISHED: Sep 8, 2020
UPDATED: Jul 17, 2022
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I’m combining two of my all time favorite recipes, blackened shrimp with bang bang shrimp, into one fabulous dish for a mouthwatering dinner!

You may recognize this variation of a copycat recipe from Bonefish Grill. If you can’t make it to the restaurant, then you will love this recipe. If you have never tried it before, then you must give it a try and see what everyone’s talking about.

Blackened Bang Bang Shrimp sitting on bed of lettuce.
What Is Bang Bang Shrimp? 

If you have never been to the Bonefish Grill, then you are in for a treat. This is a variation on their famous Bang Bang Shrimp dish that is so popular.

Bang Bang Shrimp is lightly fried crunchy shrimp covered in a spicy, sweet, creamy sauce that makes an out of this world appetizer or main dish. It is popular for a reason. It tastes awesome.  

If you have been to Bonefish Grill, then you know what I’m talking about. We used to go to Bonefish Grill when we were in Houston. However, now that we live in San Antonio, the restaurant has no locations here, which makes me sad.

So now when I get a craving for Bang Bang Shrimp, I have to make it myself. It is one of my favorite Seafood recipes as well as one of my favorite Copycat Restaurant Recipes. So if you love restaurant dishes like Olive Garden Chicken Scampi or Chili’s Cajun Chicken Pasta, then you will love this Bang Bang Shrimp.

Photo of Bang Bang Shrimp on top of green leaf lettuce topped with green onions with a bowl of bang bang sauce in the background and a white napkin with blue stripes in the top right corner.

What Makes This Recipe Unique?

I decided to tweak the recipe slightly by spicing up the shrimp more, and adding flavor to every layer in the recipe. You may describe this Bang Bang Shrimp in many different ways but no one will say that it is bland.

I made up a batch of my Cajun Blackened Seasoning and used that to season the shrimp and the shrimp batter. I like to make my own because that way I can control the amount of each ingredient to my specification, especially the salt. I typically use much less salt than store bought seasonings, which are often much too salty.

How To Make Blackened Bang Bang Shrimp

Ingredients

Below I discuss the ingredients that make this recipe unique. However, if you are looking for the specific measurements of all of the ingredient, be sure to scroll down to the bottom of this article, just above the comments, for the printable recipe card, which includes all all the ingredients and the specific amounts of each one.

Bang Bang Sauce:

  1. Mayonnaise. This is what makes the sauce creamy. If you are trying to make it healthier, you could use Greek Yogurt.
  2. Sweet Thai Chili Sauce. No substitutes here. This Sweet Thai Chili Sauce gives it that distinctive Bang Bang sauce flavor.
  3. Sriracha sauce. This is optional. This gives the sauce a little spicy kick. If you don’t like spicy, you can reduce the amount or leave it out altogether.
  4. Honey. Since I add more spice to the recipe with the Blackened Seasoning, I balance it with the sauce by adding a little extra sweetness with the honey.

Shrimp:

  • Extra-large (26 – 30) shrimp. I used larger shrimp because I just prefer them to the smaller shrimp. However, if you like the shrimp to be more bite-sized, then you could use a smaller-sized shrimp. I do recommend buying frozen shrimp. For shrimp that is not frozen, you don’t know how long they have been sitting out. Therefore, I just stick with frozen shrimp.
  • Cajun Blackening Seasoning. You can use as little or as much as you like, depending on how spicy you like the shrimp.

Bowl 1: 

  • 1 cup Buttermilk. If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make your own by adding a tablespoon of vinegar to a cup of milk and then letting it sit for about 5 minutes.

Bowl 2: 

This bowl contains the ingredients to make the light, crispy batter on the shrimp. The cornstarch makes it a lighter crunch. However, by itself, it sometimes does not stick to the shrimp. By soaking the shrimp in buttermilk first and mixing the cornstarch with a little flour, it helps the coating to stick to the shrimp. Of course, the blackened seasoning is added to add additional flavor for this layer.

  • Flour
  • Cornstarch
  • Cajun Blackening Seasoning

Garnish:

Below are examples of garnishes you can use to serve with the shrimp. They are completely optional. However, hopefully it will give you ideas of how you can serve the shrimp and make a nice presentation.

  • shredded lettuce
  • Cole slaw
  • Green Onions
  • Cilantro
  • Red cabbage
  • Pico De Gallo
  • Limes
  • Mexican Crema (sour cream, Mexican Creme, or Greek yogurt with milk)

Directions

  • Make the Bang Bang Sauce by combining all ingredients until Bang Bang Sauce in a small bowl. (Scroll down to the printable recipe card for the amounts of each ingredient.)

White bowl with ingredients for Bang Bang sauce that have not been mixed yet. Behind the bowl are the bottles of each ingredient - Mayonnaise, Sweet Chili Sauce, Sriracha, and honey.

  • Make the recipe for Cajun Blackening Seasoning Mix. 
  • Thaw the shrimp by placing it in a colander and running cold water over it for a few minutes until all shrimp are thawed.
  • Get out the buttermilk or take 5 minutes to make it by pouring 1 tablespoon of vinegar in a cup of milk and letting it sit for 5 minutes.

White bowl of raw shrimp with measuring cup of buttermilk and a small bowl of blackened seasoning in the background.

  • Sprinkle half of the Cajun Blackening Seasoning evenly over all sides of the shrimp.

Raw shrimp with blackening seasoning in white bowl.

  • Pour the buttermilk over the shrimp.

Pouring Buttermilk over shrimp for Blackened Bang Bang Shrimp. Next photo shows shrimp soaking in buttermilk .

  • In a small bowl stir together the cornstarch, flour, and remainder of the Cajun Blackening Seasoning.
  • Remove each shrimp, drain off any excess buttermilk and add it to the bowl of cornstarch, flour, and seasoning. Coat all sides of every shrimp.

Overhead view of one bowl with shrimp covered in buttermilk next to bowl with cornstarch - flour for dredging and a sheet pan with baking rack for the shrimp to hang out after dredging in cornstarch-flour mixture.

  • Place the cornstarch mixture covered shrimp on a wire rack on a sheet pan.

Blackened Bang Bang Shrimp after it has been dredged in a cornstarch-flour mixture.

  • Heat the oil to 350 degrees F. You can use a wooden spoon to test if it is hot. If you see bubbles around it, then it is hot. However, the best way to determine the temperature of the oil is to use a thermometer.
  • Drop the shrimp one at a time, and frying in batches, maybe 6 at a time (depending on how big your pan is) so there is space between each shrimp. Repeat with each batch until all shrimp are fried.

Using a wood spoon to test to see if the oil is hot enough.

  • Remove the fried shrimp to a separate sheet pan. I like to place paper towels in the bottom of the sheet pan and place a wire rack on top to allow the fried shrimp to drain.

Fried Blackened Bang Bang Shrimp sitting on wire wrack on top of paper towels just after frying.

  • Either drop the shrimp in the bang bang sauce to coat them all over with the sauce, or use the sauce as a dipping sauce so you can dip each shrimp into the dipping sauce. Either way, it is delicious.

Blackened Bang Bang Shrimp sitting on bed of lettuce.

More Delicious Recipes

  • Mexican Shrimp Salad
  • Mexican Shrimp Cocktail
  • Cajun Shrimp and Salsa
  • Bang Bang Chicken Wonton Tacos
  • Kung Pao Chicken
  • Tijuana Shrimp Dip Nachos
  • Spicy Pesto Shrimp Primavera
  • Cajun Blackened Chicken
  • Cajun Blackened Salmon

If you like this recipe or make this recipe,  be sure to leave a comment, rate the recipe, and follow us on:

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Recipe

Blackened Bang Bang Shrimp sitting on bed of lettuce.
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Blackened Bang Bang Shrimp

Blackened Bang Bang Shrimp combines two of my all time favorite recipes, blackened shrimp with bang bang shrimp, into one fabulous seafood dish for a mouthwatering dinner!
Course Appetizers, Main Dishes
Cuisine American
Keyword Bang Bang Shrimp, Blackened Bang Bang Shrimp, Blackened Shrimp, Fried Shrimp, Shrimp Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes minutes
Total Time 40 minutes minutes
Servings 6
Calories 292kcal
Author Michele @ Flavor Mosaic

Ingredients

Bang Bang Sauce

  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup Sweet Thai Chili Sauce
  • 2 - 3 dashes Sriracha (adjust the amount to how spicy you like it)
  • 2 tablespoons honey

Shrimp

  • 1-1/2 pounds raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 2 tablespoons Cajun Blackening seasoning (Homemade or Store-bought)
  • 1 cup buttermilk (or 1 cup milk + 1 Tablespoon vinegar)

Shrimp Coating

  • 1/2 cup cornstarch
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 1 tablespoon Cajun Blackening Seasoning
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Instructions 

  • Make the Bang Bang Sauce by combining mayonnaise, Sweet Thai Chili Sauce, Sriracha, and honey in a small bowl.
  • Make the recipe for Cajun Blackening Seasoning Mix. 
  • Thaw the shrimp by placing it in a colander and running cold water over it for a few minutes until all shrimp are thawed.
  • Get out the buttermilk or take 5 minutes to make it by pouring 1 tablespoon of vinegar in a cup of milk and letting it sit for 5 minutes.
  • Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the Cajun Blackening Seasoning evenly over all sides of the shrimp. Pour the buttermilk over the shrimp.
  • In a small bowl stir together the cornstarch, flour, and remainder of the Cajun Blackening Seasoning.
  • Remove each shrimp, drain off any excess buttermilk and dredge each shrimp in the cornstarch mixture. Coat all sides of every shrimp. Place the cornstarch covered shrimp on a wire rack on a sheet pan.
  • Heat the oil to 350 degrees F. You can use a wooden spoon to test if it is hot. If you see bubbles around it, then it is hot. However, the best way to determine the temperature of the oil is to use a thermometer.
  • Drop the shrimp one at a time, and fry them in batches, maybe 6 at a time (depending on how big your pan is) so there is space between each shrimp. Repeat with each batch until all shrimp are fried.
  • Remove the fried shrimp to a separate sheet pan. (I like to place paper towels in the bottom of the sheet pan and place a wire rack on top to allow the fried shrimp to drain.)
  • Either drop the shrimp in the bang bang sauce to coat them all over with the sauce, or use the sauce as a dipping sauce so you can dip each shrimp into the dipping sauce. Either way, it is delicious.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 292kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 293mg | Sodium: 1174mg | Potassium: 198mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 1228IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 216mg | Iron: 3mg

 

 

Filed Under: American, Appetizers, Cajun, Copycat Restaurant Recipes, Dinner Recipes, Main Dishes, Seafood, Thai

DISCLOSURE: Flavor Mosaic is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. Please note: This blog may contain affiliate links to products I use and love. I earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you, to help with blog expenses when you make a purchase through an affiliate link. Thank you for your support!

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Michele F - Owner / Founder / Creator / Blogger at Flavor Mosaic
Michele

Hi, I’m Michele Feuerborn, wife, and dog Mom, with 20+ years experience as a home cook. I’m the Founder of Flavor Mosaic, as well as the author and content creator. I share fast, easy, flavorful recipes with bold flavors, featuring Instant Pot and Air Fryer recipes and Italian, Southern and Mexican cuisines.  Contact: [email protected].

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Michele F - Owner / Founder / Creator / Blogger at Flavor Mosaic

Hi, I’m Michele, a home cook with 20+ years experience. I created Flavor Mosaic as a place to share our favorite fast, easy, and flavorful creative recipes with bold flavors, including Southern, Mexican, Tex-Mex, and Instant Pot recipes.
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